Magnetically Attached Golf Tee

ABSTRACT

A Magnetically Attached Golf Tee (MAGT) consisting of an upper section and a lower section. The upper section has an upper concave surface that supports a golf ball and a lower flat surface that has attached an upper permanent magnet. The lower section has a lower pointed end that is inserted into the ground and an upper flat surface that has attached a lower permanent magnet. When the two magnets interface, the MAGT can be used as a conventional golf tee. When the upper section is struck by a golf club, the upper section separates from the lower section without causing damage to the MAGT. The separated upper section can be retrieved and re-attached to the lower section, allowing the MAGT to be reused numerous times.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally pertains to golf tees, and more particularly to a golf tee having an upper golf ball holding section that is magnetically attached to a lower section that is inserted into the ground.

BACKGROUND ART

One of the most popular sports throughout the world is golf. Unlike many other sports, golf does not require extreme physical exertion. Therefore, golf can be played by various types of people including men, women, children and adults.

A typical golfer will possess a set of golf clubs and a few golf balls. When playing golf, a course consisting of series of holes is traversed. Each hole will be at a pre-determined distance from where a golfer will initially hit a golf ball. The distance from initial hit location to the hole is often significant, so it is common for a golfer to hit the ball multiple times on the way to the hole. These longer distance hits (as compared to shorter distance hits called putting) are referred to as driving.

In order to most effectively hit a golf ball when driving a golfer will utilize a golf tee. A common style of golf tee is a wooden stake-type device that is inserted into the ground and supports a golf ball on its upper surface. A golf tee allows the golf ball to be elevated off the ground, usually above the grass-line, which creates a better impact angle for the golf club on the golf ball.

Most golfers carry a number of golf tees with them when playing a round of golf. A number of tees is necessary since it is common for a tee to break as a result of the golf club impact. Also, golf tees often become dislodged from the impact and subsequently lost.

As a result of this problem, it would be beneficial and cost effective to provide golfers with a golf tee that could separate from an impact and then be re-assembled for further use. With a golf tee having this capability, a golfer would not have to carry a large number of tees and would not have to deal with the necessity and/or expense of constantly replacing golf tees.

A search of the prior art did not disclose any literature or patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:

PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUED 7,780,551 Wood 24 Aug. 2010 7,645,202 Lee 12 Jan. 2010 5,242,170 Ward 7 Sep. 1993

The U.S. Pat. No. 7,780,551 patent discloses a golf tee that supports a golf ball and includes a first portion and a second portion that is coupled to the first portion. The second portion includes a section that supports the golf ball. A perimeter located at the end of the support section of the second portion defines a plane. The plane remains substantially perpendicular to an axis while the second portion moves relative to the first portion.

The U.S. Pat. No. 7,645,202 patent discloses a golf tee having an anchoring device, which has a flat top head with a coupling portion having holes around the coupling portion and a nail body extending downward from the flat top head for fastening to the ground of a golf course. A receptacle member for holding a golf ball and a shank extending downward from the bottom of the receptacle member is provided with a transverse wire hole and a bottom coupling portion connectable to the coupling portion of the anchoring device. A cord member is inserted through the wire hole of the receptacle member and the through holes of the anchoring device to link the receptacle member to the anchoring device.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,170 patent discloses a two-piece, realignable golf tee having a lower, integrally molded plastic piece comprising a ground spike, a central flange, a flexible retainer and an enlargement adjacent the outer end of the retainer shaft. An upper, integrally molded plastic piece has a sleeve slidably positioned about the flexible retainer shaft. The sleeve defines a bore having a constricted portion adjacent a first sleeve end that faces the ground spike to engage the enlargement.

For background purposes and indicative of the art to which the invention relates, reference may be made to the following remaining patents found in the patent search.

PATENT NO. INVENTOR ISSUED 1,550,483 Wulkop 18 Aug. 1925 1,736,583 Deike 19 Nov. 1929 7,488,263 Lee 10 Feb. 2009

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The Magnetically Attached Golf Tee (MAGT) is designed to replace conventional golf tees that are often damaged when struck by a golf club. In its basic design, the MAGT consists of a lower section and an upper section that detaches when struck with a golf club.

The upper section has an upward flange and includes an upper concave surface and a lower flat surface. The lower flat surface has attached, by an attachment means, an upper permanent magnet having a downward facing north pole. The lower section has an upper surface, and a lower pointed end that is dimensioned to be inserted into the ground of a golf course or driving range (hereinafter golf course). To the upper surface is attached, by the magnet attachment means, a lower permanent magnet having an upward facing south pole. When the north pole of the upper permanent magnet interfaces with the south pole of the lower permanent magnet, the upper section is magnetically attached to the lower section. Thus, when the upper section is struck by a golf club, the upper section can separate from the lower section which remains inserted into the ground of the golf course. To reuse the MAGT the upper section is magnetically retrieved and re-attached to the lower section.

The magnet attachment means is preferably comprised of an adhesive that is directly applied to the surfaces that are to be attached. Alternatively, the upper section as well as the lower section can include a cavity that is dimensioned to frictionally attach the respective permanent magnet. To further enhance the attachment means an adhesive can be applied to the cavities.

In view of the above disclosure the primary object of the invention is to produce a MAGT having an upper section that can separate from a lower section when the upper section is struck by a golf club. When the upper section is retrieved and re-attached to the lower section the MAGT can be reused.

In addition to the primary object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to produce an invention that:

-   -   can be made of various materials,     -   can be produced in a variety of lengths,     -   offers zero resistance when struck by a golf club,     -   is cost effective from both a manufacturer's and consumer's         point of view.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent form the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a Magnetically Attached Golf Tee (MAGT) having an upper section and a lower section. The lower section is shown embedded into the ground and the upper section is shown separated from the lower section after being struck by a golf club.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the MAGT with the upper section attached to the lower section by means of a pair of interfacing magnets.

FIGS. 3-6 are partial side elevational views showing four methods for attaching a pair of magnets to the upper and lower sections of the MAGT.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a MAGT having an upper section separated from the lower section.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms that disclose a preferred embodiment of a reusable Magnetically Attached Golf Tee (MAGT) 10 that offers zero resistance when struck by a golf club. The preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1-7, is comprised of the following major elements: an upper section 12, an upper permanent magnet 20, a lower section 28 and a lower permanent magnet 38. The MAGT 10, as shown in FIG. 1, functions in combination with a golf course 60, a golf ball 62 and a golf club 64. The upper section 12 is shown attached to the lower section 28 in FIG. 2 and detached in FIG. 7.

The upper section 12, as shown best in FIG. 2, has an upper concave surface 14 and a lower flat surface 16. The concave surface 14 is substantially dimensioned to fit the contour of the golf ball 62.

The upper permanent magnet 20, as shown in FIG. 2, is attached by a magnet attachment means 22, as described below, to the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12. When the upper permanent magnet 20 is attached, the north pole 24 of the magnet 20 faces downward.

The lower section 28, as also shown in FIG. 2, has an upper flat surface 30 and a lower pointed end 32. The pointed end 32 is dimensioned to be inserted into the ground of the golf course 60, as shown in FIG. 1.

The lower permanent magnet 38, as shown in FIG. 2, is attached by the magnet attachment means 22 to the upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28. The lower permanent magnet 38, when attached, has an upward facing south pole 40, that interfaces with the north pole 24 of the upper permanent magnet 20. The two interfacing magnets 20,38 maintain the upper section 12 magnetically attached to the lower section 28, as also shown best in FIG. 2.

Both the upper section 12 and the lower section 28 are made of a material that is selected from the group consisting of wood, metal such as aluminum, plastic and carbon fiber. Additionally, the assembled MAGT 10 has a circular cross-section and a combined length that ranges from 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) to 5.0 inches (12.7 cm). The upper and lower permanent magnets 20,38 are selected from the group of magnets consisting of bonded ferrite, hard ferrite, aluminum-nickel-cobalt (ALNICO™), bonded neodymium-iron-boron and samarium cobalt. Additionally, indicia 36 can be added to the upper section 12, as shown in FIG. 2, or to the lower section 28, as shown in FIG. 7.

The final element that describes the MAGT 10 are the various implementations of the magnet attachment means 22. In the first magnet attachment means 22, as shown in FIG. 2, the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12 has attached by an adhesive 34 an upper permanent magnet 20, having its north pole 24 facing downward. The upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28 has attached by the adhesive 34 a lower permanent magnet 38, with the south pole 40 of the lower permanent magnet 38 facing upward. When the two permanent magnets 20,38 interface, the upper section 12 is magnetically attached to the lower section 28.

In the second magnet attachment means 22, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12 has an upper section cavity 44 into which is frictionally inserted an upper permanent magnet 20. The north pole 24 of the upper permanent magnet 20 faces downward and is on the same plane as the outward edge 46 of the cavity 44. The upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28 also has a lower section cavity 48 into which is frictionally inserted a lower permanent magnet 38. The south pole 40 of the lower permanent magnet 38 faces upward and is on the same plane as the outward edge 50 of the cavity 44. When the two permanent magnets 20,38 interface, the upper section 12 is magnetically attached to the lower section 28.

In the third magnet attachment means 22, as shown in FIG. 4, the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12 has an upper section cavity 44 into which is frictionally inserted an upper permanent magnet 20. The north pole 24 of the upper permanent magnet 20 faces downward and is on the same plane as the outward edge 46 of the upper section cavity 44. The upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28 has attached by an adhesive 34 the lower permanent magnet 38. The south pole 40 of the lower permanent magnet 38 faces upward and extends over the upper flat surface 30. When the two permanent magnets 20,38 interface, the upper section 12 is magnetically attached to the lower section 28.

In the fourth magnet attachment means 22, as shown in FIG. 5, the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12 has attached by an adhesive 34 an upper permanent magnet 20 with the north pole 24 of the upper permanent magnet 20 facing downward. The upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28 has a lower section cavity 48 into, which is frictionally inserted the lower permanent magnet 38. The south pole 40 of the lower permanent magnet 38 faces upward and is on the same plane as the outward edge 50 of the lower section cavity 48. When the two permanent magnets 20,38 interface the upper section 12 is magnetically attached to the lower section 28.

In the fifth magnet attachment means 22, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower flat surface 16 of the upper section 12 has attached by an adhesive 34 an upper permanent magnet 20 having a perimeter 21 that is located within the perimeter of the upper flat surface 16. The north pole 24 of the upper permanent magnet 20 faces downward. The upper flat surface 30 of the lower section 28 has attached by the adhesive 34, a lower permanent magnet 38 having a perimeter 39 that is located within the perimeter of the upper flat surface 30. The south pole 40 of the lower permanent magnet 38 faces upward. When the two permanent magnets 20,38 interface the upper section 12 is magnetically attached to the lower section 28.

While the invention has been described in detail and pictorially shown in the accompanying drawings it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and the scope thereof. For example, the poles of the upper and lower permanent magnets 20,38 can be reversed without affecting the function of the MAGT 10. Hence, it is described to cover any and all modifications and forms which may come within the language and scope of the claims. 

1. A magnetically attached golf tee (MAGT) comprising: a) an upper section having an upper concave surface and a lower flat surface to which is attached by a magnet attachment means an upper permanent magnet having a downward facing north pole, and b) a lower section having a lower pointed end that is dimensioned to be inserted into the ground of a golf course, and an upper surface to which is attached by the magnet attachment means a lower permanent magnet having an upward facing south pole, wherein when the north pole of said upper permanent magnet interfaces with the south pole of said lower permanent magnet, said upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section, wherein when said upper section is struck by a golf club said upper section is detached from the lower section, with said lower section remaining inserted into the ground of the golf course.
 2. The MAGT as specified in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower sections are made of a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, plastic and carbon fiber.
 3. The MAGT as specified in claim 1 wherein said upper section and said lower section have circular cross-sections.
 4. The MAGT as specified in claim 1 wherein the upper concave surface is substantially dimensioned to fit the contour of a golf ball.
 5. The MAGT as specified in claim 1 further comprising indicia located on said upper section or on said lower section.
 6. The MAGT as specified in claim 1 wherein the combination of said upper and lower sections have a combined length that ranges from 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) to 5.0 inches (12.7 cm).
 7. The MAGT as specified in claim 6 wherein said permanent magnets are selected from the group of magnets consisting of bonded ferrite, hard ferrite, aluminum-nickel-cobalt (ALNICO™), bonded neodymium-iron-boron, and samarium cobalt.
 8. The MAGT as specified in claim 7 wherein the magnet attachment means comprises an adhesive.
 9. A magnetically attached golf tee (MAGT) which function in combination with a golf course, a golf ball and golf club, said MAGT comprising: a) an upper section having: (1) an upper concave surface, (2) a lower flat surface, b) an upper permanent magnet attached by a magnet attachment mean to the lower flat surface of said upper section, wherein said upper permanent magnet has a north pole that faces downward, c) a lower section having: (1) an upper flat surface, (2) a lower pointed end that is dimensioned to be inserted into the ground of a golf course, and d) a lower permanent magnet attached by the magnet attachment means to the upper flat surface of said lower section, wherein said lower permanent magnet has an upward facing south pole that interfaces with the north pole of said upper permanent magnet, maintaining said upper section magnetically attached to said lower section, wherein said MAGT offers a zero resistance when the golf ball is struck with the golf club.
 10. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said upper section and said lower section is made of a material selected from the group consisting of wood, metal, plastic and carbon fiber.
 11. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said metal is aluminum.
 12. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein the assembled said upper and lower sections have a combined length that ranges from 1.0 inches (2.54 cm) to 5.0 inches (12.7 cm).
 13. The MAGT as specified in claim 12 wherein said golf tee has a circular cross-section.
 14. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said concave surface is substantially dimensioned to fit the contour of a golf ball.
 15. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said permanent magnets are selected from the group of magnets consisting of bonded ferrite, hard ferrite, aluminum-nickel-cobalt (ALNICO™), bonded neodymium-iron-boron and samarium cobalt.
 16. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said magnet attachment means comprises: a) the lower flat surface of said upper section having attached by an adhesive an upper permanent magnet, wherein the north pole of said upper permanent magnet faces downward, and b) the upper flat surface of said lower section having attached by an adhesive a lower permanent magnet, wherein the south pole, of said lower permanent magnet faces upward, wherein when said permanent magnets interface, said upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section.
 17. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said magnet attachment means comprises: a) the lower flat surface of said upper section having a cavity into which is frictionally inserted an upper permanent magnet, wherein the north pole of said upper permanent magnet faces downward and is on the same plane as the outward edge of the cavity, and b) the upper flat surface of said lower section having a cavity into which is frictionally inserted a lower permanent magnet, wherein the south pole of said lower permanent magnet faces upward and is on the same plane as the outward edge of the cavity, wherein when said permanent magnets interface, said upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section.
 18. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said magnet attachment means comprises: a) the lower flat surface of said upper section having a cavity into which is frictionally inserted an upper permanent magnet, wherein the north pole of said upper permanent magnet faces downward and is on the same plane as the outward edge of the cavity, and b) the upper flat surface of said lower section has attached by an adhesive said lower permanent magnet, wherein the south pole of said lower permanent magnet faces upward and extends over the upper flat surface, wherein when said permanent magnets interface, said upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section.
 19. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said magnet attachment means comprises: a) the lower flat surface of said upper section having attached by an adhesive an upper permanent magnet, wherein the north pole of said upper permanent magnet faces downward, and b) the upper flat surface of said lower section having a cavity into which is frictionally inserted said lower permanent magnet, wherein the south pole of said lower permanent magnet faces upward and is on the same plane as the outward edge of the cavity, wherein when said permanent magnets interface, said upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section.
 20. The MAGT as specified in claim 9 wherein said magnet attachment means comprises: a) the lower flat surface of said upper section having attached by an adhesive an upper permanent magnet having a perimeter that is located within the perimeter of the lower flat surface, wherein the north pole of said upper permanent magnet faces downward, and b) the upper flat surface of said lower section having attached by an adhesive a lower permanent magnet having a perimeter that is located within the perimeter of the upper flat surface, wherein the south pole of said lower permanent magnet faces upward, wherein when said permanent magnets interface, the upper section is magnetically attached to said lower section. 